August 11, 2005
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OMG…I tell you…if it’s not one thing, it’s another.
Okay…let me start by saying that the police never found anything or anyone in Caleb’s abduction investigation.
However, I was able to get the GPS tracking unit for Caleb. It looks like a watch and he doesn’t seem to mind wearing it (thank God).
We have to check the battery on it twice a day to make sure that it’s working okay and the police dept. comes out once a month to change the battery. We’re told that if Caleb ever comes up missing that when we call 911 they will know by our phone number that it’s Caleb and will start tracking him immediately with the GPS unit. They said that they can locate him within 3 minutes or so. That makes me feel a LOT better after this whole ordeal. 
Now…onto the other issue…
I came home last night and was confronted with this on my television screen!
Littleton teacher had previous sex assault charge
LONE TREE – A middle school teacher in the Littleton School District arrested Monday for alleged sexual assault on a child was investigated for the same offense on two previous occasions.
Paola Farer Web Producer
and Paul Johnson 9NEWS Reporter
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says in March, Mark Bliss was a suspect in an alleged molestation of boys at a Highlands Ranch swimming pool. But the case was dropped when deputies couldn’t locate the victims.
Bliss was also investigated in 2000 for a sexual assault, according to the Highlands Ranch Herald newspaper. The report says Bliss allegedly walking into a shower stall at the Eastridge Rec Center, took off his bathing suit and touched a 7-year-old boy. He was eventually acquitted.
On Tuesday, Mark Bliss was arrested by Lone Tree Police at the South Suburban Ice Rink where he coaches power skating to kids. Police said they were investigating a report that Bliss had inappropriately touched a child in the pool at the Lone Tree Recreation Center.
Bliss is a social studies and language arts teacher at Newton Middle School. He also coached several sports. He has been employed by Littleton Public Schools since 1998.
The school district says it was aware of the previous allegations against Bliss, but it is forbidden to talk about any job action that may have been taken against him.
This man teaches at my oldest daughter’s (Dora) school!!! He’s been her teacher for two years now!!
He even coached Dora’s boyfriend’s (Devin) wrestling team…and Devin’s mom was on the news last night expressing her concern and disgust at the fact that parents weren’t aware of this man’s past while sending their young boys to be in intimate situations with him (i.e. showering in locker rooms etc.) while on sports teams.
I’m floored by this whole thing. What in the hell is this world coming to??!
Now, before anyone says that I’m judging him too quickly and that he hasn’t been convicted of anything…believe me, I understand that.
However, I’m also aware of the fact that LPS couldn’t just release him of his teaching duties because of legality issues…BUT…coaching is not his main position with the school. He took on the coaching position (in which he has coached many boys sports teams) for extra cash (supposedly)…but I feel that with the allegations as they are, he should’ve at least been relieved of coaching duties!! OR we (the parents) should have been informed of the allegations that had been brought up against him and been left to make the decision of whether or not we trusted him with our children! 
I just don’t feel that enough has been done in these situations to ensure the safety of our kids.
After what I’ve been through lately with my son…I don’t take anything for granted and I most certainly don’t trust people the way that I once did. I can’t…not anymore.
PS ~ Thank you all for your support and kind words in regards to the situation w/ Caleb. I appreciate you all very much.
Comments (8)
I hope everything goes better for your family. I hope Caleb will see that he can help other people who have been through what he has been.
I cant believe people who could do stuff like that to inosent kid and people~
TTYL
candy
Ps will be praying for you guys!
What a great idea the GPS is for Caleb. I still wish they could have arrested someone though. And now Dora’s teacher is up on molestation charges? I wonder what the school board was thinking when they hired him. Geez!
-Lorie- {v]
What a great idea with the GPS using it to easy your mind is a great use of the system .
Here if you work with children you have to get CIB which means your name is checked with the police . Everytime you apply for a job or volutary postion you have to be checked again
That is a good idea. I would be mad about that too.
Best wishes for you, Caleb and the family. My thoughts are with you.
Wow, it sure is scary and appalling when incidents like those of that teacher hit so close to home. He should be permanently banned from teaching again.
I hope your evening is a pleasant one.
The GPS idea is super! Teachers should have their backgrounds checked before being allowed to teach..Creepos all over the place!
I don’t think anyone can fault you for feeling this way.
I was inappropriatly touched by my principal when I was in the eigth grade…..I remember it like it was yesterday. He did it to several of the girls in my class, and when the school board found out about it, they removed him from the school(I never did know what happened to him) but they never spoke openly about what happened. I don’t know about the other girls, but I carried guilt for that experience well into my adult life. Because it was dealt with in secret, I felt that I was at fault somehow. My hubby is a retired teacher and it has been his experience that unless there is an arrestable offense, they just move a teacher to another school and he/she is inflicted on that student body. It is all because of tenure…….after three years a teacher is tenured(in Tn) and without the arrestable offense, it is impossible to fire them. I’m really sorry that all this has happened to your family!